If you don't live in Minnesota, or have only recently become a subscriber
to this journal, you've probably never heard of the name Dave Moore, let
alone why we've created an award in his memory. But if you knew Dave, knew
what he stood for and what he cared about, well, the reasons would be obvious.

For the uninitiated, Dave Moore was a legend in these parts for most of
the past forty some years, both as a familiar face on television and mellifluous
voice over the air waves. But mainly he was a regular guy, passionate about
baseball, comfortable at a game, interested in other fans that he met at
the ballpark. Dave was one of those rare guys who brushed aside fame and
adoration in favor of connecting with all people, not just the rich and
famous. Thus, it was possible for him to embrace a small, grass roots movement
to save Metropolitan Stadium in the late 1970s even though most other well-known
individuals remained indifferent or aligned themselves with the corporate
elite that led the push for the godforsaken Metrodome. Hell, if Dave hadn't
been a high- profile television anchor, he probably would have led the opposition,
and maybe today we'd still have a ballpark in Minnesota rather than an indoor
football arena. That's just the kind of guy Dave was; he believed in supporting
the right causes, even if they were unwinnable battles. And that's probably
why he gave a damn' about a little upstart journal of writing about baseball
and a banquet for baseball fans (the annual Hot Stove League affair in St.
Paul) that became a lifesaving fundraiser for us during our early struggles
fifteen years ago. (Dave even rearranged his very busy schedule to make
sure he was available to MC the banquets each year.)

When Dave passed away in January, 1998, we wanted to do something for him
that would serve as a lasting tribute. Right up there with Dave's great
love for baseball was an appreciation of literature, so it just seemed natural
to create an award in his memory that would recognize the most important
work of baseball literature each year. There are other annual awards for
the "best" baseball book, but we wanted ours to honor the many
ways in which Dave encouraged people to believe in themselves, whether a
struggling actor, a rookie journalist, an unpublished writer, a new theater
company, or a naive group of activists who thought they could save a ballpark.
That's why The Dave Moore Award will give particular consideration to the
works of emerging authors, especially those published by the small press.
And thanks to the generosity of Dave's long-time employer, WCCO-Television
of Minneapolis, the award will also include a $250 honorarium.

Someday, when EFQ has become a household name in baseball, and The Dave
Moore Award the most prestigious literary honor in the game, everybody will
know about Dave Moore. But until that time, we'll just remember him the
way editor Steve Lehman so warmly recalled him a year ago in EFQ: "He
loved the game, and he loved people, and he was endlessly fascinated by
both."